After the Alcatel One Touch Scribe HD, we’re now going in-depth with its lesser-powered yet more affordable sibling, the One Touch Scribe Easy. Let’s find out if it is worth the budget by reading our full review.
During the course of the review I’ll be comparing the Scribe Easy to the Scribe HD so I suggest getting to know the HD first by reading the full review here.
Design and Construction
The Scribe Easy is actually similar to the Scribe HD in terms of design and construction. Both have metallic frames surrounding the front of the device, the backside is also curved and is made of soft-touch plastic, and the sides are also bevelled and is more pronounced at the bottom. The only noticeable difference though is that the Scribe Easy is 1.3mm chunkier than the Scribe HD and it has an Alcatel logo located on the top-front of the device.
On the front is the 5-inch display together with the earpiece, VGA front-facing camera and notifications light on top. Down below it are the three capacitive buttons and microphone. On the left side are the microSD card slot and SIM2 slot hidden by a plastic flap, and the microUSB port. On the right are the SIM1 slot and the volume rocker. Right on top are the power/lock button and headset jack. Located at the back are the 5 megapixel camera, LED flash, microphone, and the speaker found at the bottom-left.
Scribe Easy (above), Scribe HD (below)
Like what we’ve experienced with the Scribe HD, the plastic flaps that covers the SIM and microSD slots are difficult to pry with short finger nails. In terms of design, it is not a head turner but not unattractive either. The size and heft feels good in the hands and doesn’t feel cheap but the thickness feels too chunky for a 5-inch smartphone.
Display
The Scribe Easy uses a 5-inch TFT display mounted with a scratch-resistant glass. It has a resolution of 480 x 800 which gives it a pixel density of 187ppi. Although the pixels are evident, the resolution is not that bad as one might expect.
Colors are great and the large display makes it good with watching movies and browsing the web. The only downside though are the poor viewing angles and glare as the Scribe Easy is very prone to reflective light.
OS, UI and Apps
The Scribe Easy comes with Android 4.1.2 Jellybean on board and not the 4.2.1 that came with the Scribe HD. Like the Scribe HD the UI has been tweaked a bit to change the appearance of the icons. The icons look and feel a bit toyish but not at all a downer.
The basic Google Apps are present of course together with Alcatel’s own apps like the One Touch Cloud Backup, One Touch Media Share, One Touch Radio, Scribe Calculator and Scribe Note.
As for preinstalled third-party apps, there’s the AVG Mobile AntiVirus, Shazam, Shark Dash, Nimbuzz, PicSay, and Evernote on board. If you need more apps, the Google Play Store will surely provide you with everything you need and the 2.5GB of usable memory should be able to handle it.
Camera and Multimedia
One of the things that Alcatel toned down on the Scribe Easy is the camera. While the Scribe HD has an 8 megapixel shooter, the Easy has 5 megapixel. Alcatel also toned down the camera features, meaning there’s no HDR, Panorama, Continuous shots, Multi-Angle shots and smile detection. Although a little lacking in features the photos taken are very decent. Images are sharp with good colors. Some look washed out though but still very usable. Take a look at the sample photos below:
[fancygallery id=”18″ album=”18″]
As for video recording capabilities, the Scribe Easy can shoot videos at a maximum of 720p resolution at 24fps in 3GP format. Watch the sample video below:
As mentioned earlier, the Scribe Easy is good for watching videos thanks to its large screen but with a little sacrifice on resolution and viewing angles. You’ll have to let go of 1080p playback as well as this one can’t support videos higher than 720p. Speakers are good though and not problematic like the one found on the Scribe HD. It is audible but using a headphone or external speaker is highly recommended for a better listening experience.
Performance and Battery Life
Powering the Scribe Easy is a dual-core MediaTek MSM8225 CPU clocked at 1.2GHz and 512MB of RAM. Even with Jellybean on board, the Scribe Easy is noticeably sluggish due to the small RAM. You’ll notice slight delays when unlocking the device, launching apps and switching between tasks. On the bright side, everything is still functional, no crashes or random reboots, just slow.
We placed the Scribe Easy under a series of benchmarks and here are the results:
* AnTuTu – 5,776
* Quadrant Standard – 2,870
* Vellamo HTML 5 – 1,426
* Vellamo Metal – 341
* NenaMark 2 – 29.2fps
As for battery life, we played a 720p video in continuous loop in Airplane mode with 0% volume and 50% brightness. Although the Scribe Easy has the same battery capacity as the Scribe HD at 2,500mAh, the Easy is only capable of 4 hours of movie playback.
With normal usage consisting of constant WiFi connectivity, heavy SNS, light gaming and moderate calling and texting, the Scribe Easy can last for 12 to 13 hours on average.
Conclusion
In summary, the Alcatel Scribe Easy is a throttled-down version of the Scribe HD in terms of hardware and price. For Php8,990USD 153INR 12,987EUR 146CNY 1,116 SRP, you’ll get a 5-inch smartphone with WVGA resolution, dual-core CPU, 512MB RAM, 2.5GB of usable internal storage, 5 megapixel camera, 2,500mAh battery, and Android Jellybean – a decent offering especially if you’re on a lookout for budget-friendly 5-incher with dual-SIM capabilities.
Alcatel One Touch Scribe Easy specs:
5″ WVGA TFT display @ 480×800 pixels, 187ppi
Qualcomm MSM8225 Snapdragon 1.2GHz dual-core CPU
512MB RAM
4GB internal memory
microSD up to 32GB
WiFi 802.11b/g/n, WiFi hotspot, WiFi Direct
Bluetooth 4.0
GPS w/ A-GPS support
5 MP camera w/ LED flash
720p video recording @24fps
VGA front-facing camera
Android 4.1.2 Jellybean
2,500 mAh battery
143 x 78.4 x 9.8mm (dimensions)
162g (weight)
What we liked about it:
* Large display
* Good camera
* Decent battery life
* Affordable price
What we didn’t like about it:
* Sluggish at times
* No support for 1080p video playback & recording
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JC Caro says:
matanong lng po, bakit MSM 8225 hindi ba po Qualcomm ang gumagawa nun?
. says:
Does it feature stylus support too?
magic5 says:
Wawa nmn alcatel, ndi pa nga naddisplay unit nla sa shelves andme na kgad lumabas na pang tapat sknla specialy 4 d scribe hd. Sna babaan pa nla ng konti price nla pra mbura na sa market yng mga siraan na unit ng mga rebranded phones na yan!
Imbes kc na babaan nla ung price eh lalo png tinaasan, d2 sa mga reviews n blogs eh p13,490 ang srp, pro nung nag ask ako sa kiosk nla sa southmall eh p14,990 daw tpos wla png demo unit, ayaw pa ptignan n pa open kung ndi ka bbili on d spot.. tsk2..
LRNZ says:
does it come with a magic flip and stylus?
Tebats says:
Same specs with cherry mobile flare. Just a bigger screen and battery.
Nieva says:
MadaLi ba syang masira…? pls po tell me
Concerned Consumer says:
BEWARE CONSUMERS! READ THIS BEFORE YOU MAKE THE PURCHASE!!!
There is a known incompatibility of Alcatel One Touch Scribe Easy with Car Chargers.
It would have been nearly perfect. I made some research before I purchased this unit and it can be considered to have the best bang for the buck until I found this issue. Since it was just recently released, none much information can be found about the Alcatel One Touch Scribe Easy. Even the Alcatel website doesn’t say anything about Car Charging for this unit.
I have two different but standard Chargers in my Car: Elevo USB – Dual Ports and Pioneer Car Stereo USB Port. More than a dozen of other brands of PDAs and/or Cellphones have been charged and worked without issues (Samsung, Nokia, Motorola, LG, Sony-Ericsson, Apple, MyPhone, Cherry Mobile, etc.).
I purchased the Alcatel One Touch Scribe Easy last May 25, 2013 from MemoExpress SM MegaMall. All else is working excellently except that it won’t charge while in the Car. It charges using the Wall Charger or when just connected to a Computer. In the Car, when connected using the specific USB cable (we have tried several similar USB cables including two provided by Alcatel), the said unit shows the USB icon which indicates that it is connected but the lightning icon which indicates charging is missing (or would just show for few seconds then disappear). The Battery information via Settings also indicates that it’s not charging (it says “Not charging”). This issue has been going on since the unit has been purchased. Due to time constraints because of my busy schedule and the excellent Battery life of this PDA (the Battery lasts for 3days or more without charging), I wasn’t able to immediately check further and report the issue. It was only when I got stuck in the traffic jam during one rainy day and was in need of charging the PDA that I was able to fully check and determine that there is really a compatibility issue.
I have my friends and family members who travel with me once in a while. We have used and tried many different PDAs and Cellphones in my Car, using either the Elevo Charger or Pioneer Car Stereo. All of those worked flawlessly and charged without issues. This includes units from Samsung, Nokia, Motorola, LG, Sony-Ericsson, Apple, MyPhone, Cherry Mobile, etc. This only verifies and confirms that my Car Chargers are working without issues. THUS, YOU CANNOT SAY THAT MY CHARGERS ARE DEFECTIVE.
I was only able to bring the Alcatel One Touch Scribe Easy to where I bought it – MemoExpress Megamall Branch, two weeks after I bought it. Rodel/George of MemoExpress assisted me and helped verify/confirm the issue. Below are the things done at MemoExpress to isolate the issue:
– Tested the unit using the Wall Charger – It’s charging without issues
– Tested the unit using another Car Charger with wires connected to a Power Adaptor – IT’S NOT CHARGING
– Brought and connected several Alcatel units (different models) to my Car’s USB Chargers for further testing:
– Alcatel One touch Sapphire 2 – It’s charging without issues
– Alcatel One touch Glory 2 – It’s charging without issues
– Alcatel One touch Scribe Easy (Brand new – this is not the one I bought) – IT’S NOT CHARGING
* These things concretely verified and confirmed the incompatibility of the Alcatel One touch Scribe Easy with Car Chargers.
I was later on referred to Cherry and was instructed to bring the unit to their Technical Team in Robinsons Pioneer.
I brought the unit to their Technical Team in Robinsons Pioneer last Saturday, June 15, 2013; below are the things they’ve done:
– Brought and connected the disputed Alcatel One Touch Scribe Easy to my Car’s USB Chargers for testing: Confirmed and verified that IT’S NOT CHARGING
– Opened the unit to verify if tampered – they confirmed that it hasn’t been tampered in any way
* They haven’t got any other means to test further. They don’t have a good service unit for me to use (they have a non-PDA which has no use for me; I have a space Cellphone and I require a PDA).
They said they will send the unit to Alcatel for further evaluation. Yesterday, Thursday, June 20, 2013, I was told that the unit charges using another charger. What the!?!? They just disregarded the facts we have previously established, verified and confirmed? THE ALCATEL ONE TOUCH SCRIBE EASY IS NOT DEFECTIVE, MY CAR CHARGERS ARE NOT DEFECTIVE – IT’S AN INCOMPATIBILITY ISSUE OF THE PDA WITH CERTAIN CAR CHARGERS! I WASN’T TOLD THAT THIS PDA IS SO SPECIAL THAT I SHOULD GET AN ALCATEL CAR CHARGER TO MAKE IT CHARGE IN THE CAR! I ASKED FOR IT BEFORE I MADE THE PURCHASE UNTIL THE FIRST TIME I COMPLAINED BUT NOBODY KNEW AND THEY HAVEN’T GOT ANY ALCATEL ACCESSORIES AVAILABLE!
FACTS:
– More than a dozen of other brands of PDAs and/or Cellphones are charging fine using my Car Chargers
– Other models of Alcatel One Touch PDAs are charging fine using my Car Chargers
– Two different units of the Alcatel One Touch Scribe Easy are both NOT charging using my Car Chargers
– All other features/functions of the Alcatel One Touch Scribe Easy are working fine
– Mobile Devices should charge while in the Car using standard USB Chargers – IF NOT, I SHOULD HAVE BEEN TOLD BEFORE I MAD THE PURCHASE! IT CAN’T EVEN BE FOUND IN THE USER’S MANUAL!
– Alcatel Car Charger is not readily available Metro Manila Malls or the cost would defeat the purpose of buying the inexpensive Alcatel One touch Scribe Easy
I am an active member of the Internet community and will relay this information in the PDA/Cellphone forums all over the Globe so as to give future buyers of the Alcatel One Touch Scribe Easy a heads-up.
Why didn’t anybody knew that the Alcatel One Touch Scribe Easy is very special and will need a special Car Charger? What made it worse? There’s no Alcatel Car Charger available!
It’s already the end of the business day today, Friday, June 21, 2013…
PLEASE TAKE NOTE THAT I WAS MADE TO WAIT, MY EXPLANATIONS WERE IGNORED, NO RESOLUTION WAS GIVEN, NO GOOD/VALID EXPLANATIONS WERE SAID, THEIR FIX – I WAS PUSHED TO GET A MORE EXPENSIVE UNIT (NO OPTIONS WHATSOEVER WERE GIVEN). SO MUCH MORE THAN TIME HAD BEEN WASTED AND IN THE END? WE HAD TO AGREE TO JUST CANCEL THE PURCHASE AFTER ALL THE INCONVENIENCES AND WASTE OF RESOURCES. IT TOOK THEM A WEEK TO DETERMINE WHAT TO DO?!? AGAIN, THE UNIT IS NOT DEFECTIVE. WHAT A REALLY BAD CUSTOMER SERVICE!!!
Concerned Consumer says:
Please pardon the typo error. Thank you.
Mark Magdamit says:
Maganda sana sya kaso mabagal lang. Saka sa gabi Try ko sya mag kuha ng picture hindi ganun kaliwanag ang LED Flash nya.
merrylorie says:
washed out colors compared to ascend y300 display.
arthur says:
My one touch scribe easy just CRASHED!!!!! OH MY!!! with two SIM microSIM cards in, I just don’t know what to do next — BUY ANOTHER cellphone???
Geraldine Sebastian says:
Pls help! Notification keeps telling me that storage space is running out. But I still have 9gb sd card external space and I already set the primary storage to sd card. I tried moving apps from internal to external storage but still it says that storage space is out. I’m mad as a hatter! Pls help! Thanks in advance!
andrea says:
have you tried using Clean Master or App2sd applications? Usually when we download or use internet, caches fill up memories, so even when we delete apps or any files that are stored in memory we still do lack in space. The above mentioned apps will help you clear caches. Hope it helps. :-)
Thomas says:
Hi! when I bought my Scribe easy, there’s a sort of a plastic cover on the back of the phone and a sticker that contain a barcode. Should I take it off or should I just leave it there?
alcatelscribeuser says:
i’ve been using this phone for a year now.. dont believe that it has a decent battery life coz it doesn’t have, it can only last up to 4 hours, so you’ll always need to have a power bank with you…if you often use wifi at home, your battery life will be much shorter than 4 hours..
the front camera is not good, poor and washed out camera quality.
games sometimes lag.. you always need a “clean master”, an application you can dload at play store, to kill all the apps that’s running if you don’t want your game to be lagged.
the audio and video quality when watching and playing musics are good.
most of the times, it restarts all by itself, even though i am doing nothing..
the clock keeps on alarming every 5am though i always turn it off everyday and eventhough i didnt set a time to alarm the next day…this fone is crazy.
the usb-port, plus charger and the customer service representatives all suck esp. the customer service team..
rating: 6/10
ramilmico says:
very weak connection on wifi even though the strongest signal wifi at home.3 times n ko nagpapalit sa sun cellular ng same unit pero ganun padin performance ng wifi.i am planning now to get another smart phone but not on this brand
Anonymous says:
Phased out na ba yung alcatel OT scribe na single sim version? OT 8000A
Dude says:
Alcatel sucks big time!
jovir says:
started using this phone as it is packaged with SUN post paid. indeed it’s quite sluggish compared to my cherrymobile’s titan tv but nonetheless the size comes in handy for conventional text and calls but definitely not for gaming and videos.